How to Make Self-Love Your Valentine This Year

Valentine’s Day is scarily close already and while it’s a cliché to shower your partner or crush with additional love for this alleged special day, there’s another special someone you also need to pay attention to… you!

We often forget the meaning of self-love and to participate in the act of caring for ourselves. Like love in general, it should matter more than just on the 14th February, but if it’s going to be a thing, then maybe this day is one you pay in particular attention on giving yourself love. There are so many different ways you can practise self-loving, but here are some of my examples to get you thinking.

Invest some time for yourself

It can be 30 minutes, an hour, or even a whole day! Just take time out for yourself. This can be dedicated to doing one thing or multiple activities, but you time is essential and it can do you some real good to spend time with your own thoughts. And I’m sure you’re a pretty interesting person to spend alone time with.

Treat Yo’Self

Seriously. It’s okay to do it! It doesn’t have to be through materialistics, though there’s nothing wrong with that at all. You could run yourself an amazing bubble bath, paint your nails, eat some ice cream, read a good book, binge a bit of Netflix… just give yourself a little something. I love to run a bath full of LUSH products, put some music on as well as a face mask and just relax before putting on a pair of my favourite PJs. It’s soothing and a great way to spend time alone.

Create your own self-love ritual and stick to it

Like I said, self-love is important all year around, not just on this designated day of luuurve… Turn off your TV, unplug from social media and get centred while you pamper yourself. Maybe you do some yoga, maybe do a facial, massage your feet… remember to not take your body and life for granted and relish in how you are blessed as you shower in self gratitude.

Acknowledge what works for you

List what’s working for you in life. Use a pen and paper and write down what you acknowledge of all the positivity in yourself. Things that you are blessed to have in your life and really would like to keep. Seeing it physically in front of you can often make you realise what you have and make you appreciate it more.

Set some time to bond with a loved one

And I don’t mean romantically. It could be a best friend, sibling, child, parent. Last Valentine’s Day my mother did my make up for me. It was great bonding time and also really therapeutic. I don’t normally take as many selfies as my peers because I’m quite insecure, but I felt good in myself (and not just the artwork my mother had created upon my face) but as a whole from the session. So I took a selfie and uploaded it. And I felt good.

Listen to (or create) a Self-Love Soundtrack

When words fail, music speaks. And sometimes you can really pick up some inspirational messages, too. Spend some time compiling a playlist of songs that embrace your self-love feeling. Here’s one I’ve made which you can use for inspiration.

I hope this has inspired you to be your own Valentine with the act of self-love this year and remember that it’s not just for one day a year! How do you practise self-love? Leave a comment below.